Customer Arrested by American Airlines Trying to Catch Connecting Flight.

United States, North Carolina, Charlotte - 10/10/2019 — Imagine running to the other end of the airport to catch your connecting flight only to be arrested by the airline who made you late by delaying your previous flight.

Long time American Airlines customer, Patrick Hennessey, thought he could still make his connection at the Charlotte airport, even though his flight from Asheville, NC had been delayed over an hour due to being over booked. With only 15 minutes to make his connecting flight to San Francisco, Mr. Hennessey grabbed his carry on bag and ran to the opposite end of the Charlotte airport in North Carolina.

When he arrived at the gate, huffing and puffing, he saw an airplane outside the gate. Since no American Airlines employees were at the gate desk he opened the door next to the gate in the hope of still boarding the airplane. Instead of being greeted by a flight attendant and taking his seat he was stopped by security.

An American Airlines manager came and immediately threatened Mr. Hennessey, saying he was “going to jail”, despite Mr. Hennessey showing his valid boarding pass. Rather than hearing his plea that he was made late by American Airlines and was simply trying to make his flight to visit his ailing 93 year old mother, TSA security and local police were called and he was arrested in front of a full lobby.

Officer Mazzeo with the Charlotte police took Mr. Hennessey into custody and charged him with trespassing and assigned him a court date. He also told the American Airlines customer that he was now banned from flying American Airlines and that if he attempted to rebook the next flight on airport property he’d be arrested and taken to jail.

To date American Airlines has refused to refund any portion of his flight.

Mr. Hennessey was under “investigation” by the US Department of Homeland Security and was threatened in writing by the TSA with potential civil penalties up to $13,066. However, he was recently cleared of prosecution by the TSA.

However, he is still being prosecuted by the Mecklenburn County Court for trespassing. The district attorney has been unwilling to drop the charges, even after the TSA investigation was closed without further issue.

Mr. Hennessey has hired an attorney to defend him in court in North Carolina. He is also suing American Airlines in court for damages and costs.

For more information contact customer and defendant Patrick Hennessey directly: